Greek Perspectives on the Achaemenid Empire: Persia Through the Looking Glass
By Janett Morgan
How did the Greek view of Persia and Persians change so radically in the archaic and classical Greek sources that they turned from noble warriors into peacock-loving cross-dressers with murderous mothers? This book looks at the development of a range of responses to the Achaemenids and their Empire. Through a study of ancient texts and material evidence from the archaic and classical periods, Janett Morgan investigates the historical, political and social factors that inspired and manipulated different identities for Persia and the Persians within Greece. This book features an interdisciplinary approach to investigating cultural contact and cultural exchange to explore the Greek response to Persia and offers unique insights into the role of Greek social elites and political communities in creating different representations of the Achaemenid Persians and their Empire.
Published in 2016 by Edinburgh University Press